I don't have anything in particular that I want to blog about right now. Just thought I'd stop by n' say hi. I guess I could work on "Just a Plant ~ Part 2" or continue on with my "When I Was 14..." post, but I don't feel like getting into that stuff right now. I just wanted to write a few words.
Sooo... what to write about?
Well.... I received a Facebook invite today to attend the "No to GMO Awareness Rally" at the Sails (Central Park, downtown) on Sunday April 10 from 2 - 5. I'd go if I was still living in Kelowna, but I'm not. So if any of you are interested in learning more about bioengineered frankenfoods, then you should go. Might be interesting.
Speaking of which, have you heard about genetically modified cows that are being raised to produce humanized breast milk? It was in an Organic Bytes newsletter I received this morning. The article says:
"Researchers at the China Agricultural University say they have forcefully inserted genetically modified human genes into cows to produce a breast-milk-like substance.
The research was funded by the Beijing GenProtein Biotechnology Company which hopes to soon sell its genetically modified dairy products in supermarkets.
Like cows injected with genetically engineered bovine growth hormone before them, these new "humanized" dairy cows are likely to suffer poor health while producing milk that is nutritionally inferior and more likely to trigger an allergy or increase cancer risks in the children or adults who drink it.
Cloned and genetically modified animals also suffer greater health problems, increased mortality and a high number of still births.
Food produced from these animals is dangerous for humans because the insertion of foreign genes into DNA strands remains an inexact science. These foreign genes hit the DNA strands in random spots, changing the way they are expressed (turned on and turned off) and creating proteins never before ingested by human beings. These novel proteins could prove dangerous for large segments of the human population who find they are allergic to them."
Oh, this future world of ours. :P
While I'm on the topic of GMOs, I might as well mention another article I received in a Grist newsletter the other day about organic farmers and food activists suing Monsanto over GMO seeds. It's always been the other way around with Monsanto being the big bully, which is what makes this article so interesting.
Anyhoo, I guess I got my blogging fix for now...
Adios.
I remember reading in Alive Mag about GMOs and Monsanto years ago, the Europeans stopped buying any grain that had been GMO plus other countries (third world I may add). Just seems that as long as North Americans accept this practice the wheel of money keeps every one sick and large companies with no soul rich, hence pharmacutical companies not wanting to Drs actually heal patients nor really find a cure for cancer, diabetes and the list goes on! Good for you to bring this to people and make them aware. Side note; Thank you again for my parcel, I now have a jealous friend here!!LOL Aunt Holly
ReplyDeleteI know! Europe is so much more advanced than North America. I don't know if they even sell genetically modified produce anymore, but when they did, it was clearly labeled as such so consumers had a choice. Here it is not labeled despite the outcry (I guess people aren't crying loud enough?) Some studies suggest that 60 - 70% of the food in your average grocery store has been genetically modified. Yum, yum, yum. :P
ReplyDeleteI'm so glad you loved your parcel. Now just to clear some space on the walls for it! Ha ha. ;)
Soon, very soon (probably by months end to the first week of May) I will have some wall space.
ReplyDeleteWith GMOs if you really want to have people think, thats why alot of their foods don't taste the way they do when they go and get it at a farmers market or an organic food store (ie tomatoes don't taste like tomatoes anymore)! A.H.
Wow! That's fast.
ReplyDeleteYou're so right. When I worked at Jersey's, we had an old couple who used to come in with their own garden tomatoes, and had us put them in their salad instead of the ones we used. I've told that story to some people who scoff at how high maintenance they must've been, but really, they were so sweet.